What You Can Do About the Glass Ceiling

Here’s why women are good for the bottom line.

When I published “The Glass Ceiling Hasn’t Shattered Just Yet” in February 2015, the post sparked more than 80 comments. Many said the same bias exists for immigrants, even those who are extremely qualified and speak English fluently. Several men responded that they wanted to see a different world for their daughters. That prompted me to write “Men with Daughters Get It” in honor of International Women’s Day 2015.

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time reading, writing, and talking about women in sales. We know the wage gap between women and men continues to exist and that companies with women leaders perform better. However, not much has changed in the last number of years. We understand that unconscious bias exists, and sometimes it’s not so “unconscious.” Yet, we still hear of discrimination against women and, frankly, anyone who looks different than decision-makers and hiring managers. Sure, it takes time for change to occur, and many organizations are taking steps to enable change.

At least once a week I hear “we don’t offer development programs for women.” Many organizations are concerned about creating exclusive groups and investing more in one group than another; however, these organizations are missing a valuable opportunity to recruit, retain, and develop women leaders, especially in a time when 77% CEOs are concerned about talent shortages.

If you are wondering if investing in development programs for women is good for business, here’s what the data says…